“Trading Without Conscience: What AI Still Can’t Do”

“Trading Without Conscience: What AI Still Can’t Do”

Blog Article

At the Asian Institute of Management—one of Asia’s top business schools, Joseph Plazo gave a talk that many didn’t expect—and even fewer will forget.

Plazo isn’t an outsider. He’s one of its architects.

And still, he asked a haunting question:

“If a machine gets it wrong, who raises their hand to say ‘I approved this’?”

???? **The Visionary Who Dared to Doubt His Own Creation**

He didn’t present more proof of AI’s success. He pointed to its blind spots.

He shared a critical moment from 2020. One of his bots flagged a short position on gold—minutes before the U.S. Federal Reserve unleashed a rescue package.

“We overrode the trade,” Plazo said. “The model was flawless—but contextually blind.”

???? **In the Race to Automate Finance, We May Have Left Ourselves Behind**

Plazo spoke of **“strategic friction”**—those moments of hesitation that seem inefficient, but are, in fact, human.

“A pause can be worth more than a profit.”

He then introduced a framework his team calls **Conviction Calculus**. Three questions. Every trade. Every time.

- Does this align with who we are—not just what we want?
- Have we verified this with voices, not just data?
- Do we own our outcomes—or delegate the consequences?

???? **The Moment Asian Markets Must Decide What They Stand For**

Across the Asia-Pacific, governments and VCs are pouring billions into AI finance. Singapore, Seoul, Manila—each is racing toward the digital frontier.

But Plazo’s message was stark:

“You can scale capital. But you cannot shortcut conscience.”

He referenced two here Hong Kong hedge funds that lost billions in 2024—systems that did everything they were told, and still failed.

“Perfect logic, wrong outcome. That’s the new risk.”

???? **The Next Generation of AI May Need to Understand Stories**

Plazo isn’t abandoning AI. He’s evolving it.

His team is now working on **narrative-integrated AI**—models that assess intent, culture, geopolitical risk, tone. Not just price action.

“The future belongs to machines that think like strategists, not speculators.”

At a private dinner after the speech, investors from across Asia approached Plazo. Not for tech. For partnerships. For principles.

One said:

“We’ve heard enough from those selling the code. He’s the first to ask what happens after.”

???? **Not Every Crash Is Loud**

Plazo closed with a line that lingered long after the lights dimmed:

“The greatest danger is not fear. It’s obedience.”

It wasn’t fearmongering. It was clarity.

And in a world obsessed with the future, sometimes the bravest thing a leader can do—is ask what we might regret.